Homecoming
by Suffering Angel
Summary: It's not that he actually opened up any, but Teddy still liked to think Tommy let him in more than usual.


I don't own YA.

A/N: Set roughly during Presents

* * *

_**Homecoming**_

It was late that afternoon when Teddy unlocked the door and entered the old Bishop publishing house, better known to some as the Young Avengers' Lair. He pushed his bag higher up his shoulder and let the door slam shut behind him. The place seemed to be abandoned, and he wasn't too surprised - Cassie was in Initiative training; Eli had to work after school; The Vision was still out on his soul-searching quest, and Kate had a fencing lesson.  
Now, normally, Teddy would've at least had Billy there with him, but his boyfriend was stuck at school, working on a hand-in with a partner he was reluctantly paired-up with. That left Teddy to his own devices, and he was alright with that as he had matters to attend to - being, packing up as much as he could from the belongings he had in the Lair to take over with him to Billy's house.

He made his way to his temporary room and rummaged through his closet. Ah, he hoped they would finish renovating, or rather, rebuilding soon; he didn't mind living in the Lair, but the thought of moving in with the Kaplans - moving in with _Billy_ - always made a kind of warmth fill him, a comforting sensation that brought a silly smile to his lips.  
Then again, he _did_ spend every possible moment there and was already treated as part of the family, so maybe it wouldn't be _that_ big a change…

Satisfied with what he gathered, Teddy slung his then fuller bag over his shoulder with ease and made his way back to the door. He stopped on his tracks halfway, though, having realized the front door opened seemingly on its own. It was left to close equally autonomously, a fact Teddy registered before he turned to the kitchen area at the sound of the fridge opening, followed by the gentle clangs of glass bottles. A gust of wind blew past him and the next moment he heard the tv. The channels were flipped through at a disturbing speed, and Teddy couldn't help but snicker in exasperation to himself. He knew only one person who could actually do anything at his pace, not to mention register what was happening. He made his way to the living-room and true enough, there Tommy was, sitting on the tv-couch. He was frowning while abusing the remote and sipped from his drink every several dozen channels or so.

"Didn't you go back to the start already?" Teddy asked quite conversationally. It was probably more, but that was all he managed to notice with his normally-paced senses.

"Five times." Came the absent, somewhat reluctant-feeling reply.  
Teddy was grateful for even that, however; Tommy always seemed to keep the rest of them at an arm's length, and right then, he seemed even less approachable than usual because of the frown on his face.  
Their eyes met for the briefest of moments when the speedster turned his attention to him, and then proceeded to look him over. Tommy soon enough turned his attention back to the screen, which was currently showing some foreign movie.

"Taking more of your stuff, huh? When are you officially moving?"

Teddy switched his bag shoulders and shifted his weight from toes to heel and back before settling down. He must've had a happy look on his face, maybe even a blush, because Tommy let out a loud snort.

"Geez, just marry already, you obnoxious love-birds."

Teddy _knew_ he was blushing at that, and it served to fuel Tommy's… what appeared to be a tantrum.

"Sure, fine, whatever, just hurry it up and leave this place. I'll take care of it."

Though it was the way Tommy usually acted when annoyed, there was something else there, too, something Teddy had to frown at.

"We'll still come over. And you _know_ the Kaplans' offer still-"

Though the offer was born of good intentions, it only made Tommy's frown deepen. Teddy was slightly confused by this, and he let himself frown worriedly in return.

"Yeah, yeah…" Tommy growled and looked away. "Because I'm _so_ about to move in with the _Brady Bunch_."

Normally, Teddy would've let that slide, maybe even snicker, potentially reply, but Tommy wasn't acting quite like his usual self, and Teddy figured he could let himself worry a bit. Potential spiritual in-law and all…

"You know, I've got a while. If there's something on your mind, we can-"

"Talk it over and live happily ever after?" Tommy practically spat out with a bitter smile. "Sorry, I don't _do_ that. Try the other guy who has this face."  
He returned to the television set then, and Teddy was certain that if the device was able to switch channels faster, it would've. As it stood, he simply wondered when it would break down.  
Either that, or Tommy would grow tired of it, something Teddy was surprised didn't happen yet.

Seeing, however, how nothing was progressing, aside of course from the time, Teddy finally nodded in a somewhat defeated manner. If Tommy didn't want to talk, Teddy couldn't very well make him, but no sooner did he finish thinking that and finally turned to leave, that the tv was shut down.  
A loud sigh closely resembling a growl was heard, but Teddy refrained from turning around, getting the feeling that the lack of eye contact was actually making this easier for Tommy.  
When the other finally spoke, Teddy also understood a bit why.

"I went home today." Tommy said in a low, soft voice Teddy wasn't sure he was supposed to hear.  
Come to think about it, they knew very little about Tommy's biological family sans their names and marital status. Given Tommy's known history, however, and difficult attitude, the four words couldn't have meant anything positive, Teddy concluded.

"It… it didn't go too well." Tommy added then, and the undertone of bitterness and- hurt, was it? - proved Teddy's suspicions to be true. He stayed still for a good while longer, but Tommy said nothing more.

The silence stretched for a short while only before Tommy grew bored of it and turned the tv back on to flip pointlessly through the channels again.  
That was all he was going to get, Teddy knew and pondered the previous tidbit of information with care. Finally, he nodded and smiled lightly as he looked over his shoulder.

"Welcome back, then." He said, meaning every word. He was repaid with a pause in the channels flipping and a humph that didn't sound _too_honest, and Teddy figured it was good enough.  
Shifting his bag shoulders again, he buried his hand in his pocket and headed towards the door. He didn't really expect any further response, knowing Tommy wasn't quite the outwardly-sentimental type, but there was some comfort and satisfaction in realizing that from the moment he turned to leave to when he actually closed the door behind him, the tv stayed on the same channel and Tommy actually sounded as though he was interested in what was being aired.


End file.
